Low-emissivity glass including spacer layers compatible with heat treatment

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for forming low emissivity panels. A first dielectric layer is disposed over a substrate and includes a bi-metal oxide having tin and bismuth or niobium. A seed layer is disposed directly on the first dielectric layer. A reflective layer including silver is disposed directly on the seed layer. A barrier layer is disposed above the reflective layer. The barrier layer includes one of a nickel chromium titanium aluminum alloy or a nickel chromium titanium aluminum oxide. The nickel chromium titanium aluminum alloy or the nickel chromium titanium aluminum oxide includes between about 5% and about 10% by weight nickel, between about 25% and about 30% by weight chromium, between about 30% and about 35% by weight titanium, and between about 30% and about 35% by weight aluminum.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A low emissivity panel comprising:
 a first reflective layer; 
 a second reflective layer; 
 a spacer layer disposed between the first reflective layer and the second reflective layer, wherein the spacer layer has a thickness of between about 20 nm and 90 nm and a substantially uniform composition throughout the thickness thereof, and wherein the spacer layer comprises a bi-metal oxide, the bi-metal oxide comprising tin and one of bismuth and niobium; and 
 a barrier layer disposed between the first reflective layer and the spacer layer, wherein the barrier layer comprises one of a nickel chromium titanium aluminum alloy or a nickel chromium titanium aluminum oxide, wherein the one of the nickel chromium titanium aluminum alloy or the nickel chromium titanium aluminum oxide comprises between about 5% and about 10% by weight nickel, between about 25% and about 30% by weight chromium, between about 30% and about 35% by weight titanium, and between about 30% and about 35% by weight aluminum. 
 
     
     
       2. The low emissivity panel of  claim 1 , wherein the low emissivity panel is configured to have a Rg ΔE that is less than about 1.7 in response to an application of a heat treatment to the low emissivity panel. 
     
     
       3. The low emissivity panel of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer layer consists of the bi-metal oxide. 
     
     
       4. The low emissivity panel of  claim 1 , wherein the bi-metal oxide consists of bismuth tin oxide or niobium tin oxide. 
     
     
       5. The low emissivity panel of  claim 4 , wherein each of the first reflective layer and the second reflective layer comprises silver. 
     
     
       6. The low emissivity panel of  claim 5 , wherein the barrier layer directly interfaces the first reflective layer and the spacer layer. 
     
     
       7. The low emissivity panel of  claim 6 , further comprising a seed layer disposed between the spacer layer and the second reflective layer, the seed layer consisting of one of zinc oxide, tin oxide, scandium oxide, or yttrium oxide, wherein the seed layer directly interfaces the spacer layer and the second reflective layer. 
     
     
       8. The low emissivity panel of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer consists of the nickel chromium titanium aluminum alloy, and wherein the nickel chromium titanium aluminum alloy consists of between about 5% and about 10% by weight nickel, between about 25% and about 30% by weight chromium, between about 30% and about 35% by weight titanium, and between about 30% and about 35% by weight aluminum. 
     
     
       9. The low emissivity panel of  claim 1 , wherein the barrier layer consists of the nickel chromium titanium aluminum oxide, and wherein the nickel chromium titanium aluminum oxide consists of between about 5% and about 10% by weight nickel, between about 25% and about 30% by weight chromium, between about 30% and about 35% by weight titanium, between about 30% and about 35% by weight aluminum, and between about 0% and about 5% by weight oxygen. 
     
     
       10. The low emissivity panel of  claim 1 , further comprising a second barrier layer disposed directly on the second reflective layer, wherein the second barrier layer comprises the one of the nickel chromium titanium aluminum alloy or the nickel chromium titanium aluminum oxide. 
     
     
       11. A low emissivity panel comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a first dielectric layer disposed over the substrate, wherein the first dielectric layer has a substantially amorphous structure and consists of a bi-metal oxide, the bi-metal oxide comprising tin and one of bismuth and niobium; 
 a seed layer disposed directly on the first dielectric layer; 
 a reflective layer disposed directly on the seed layer, wherein the reflective layer comprises silver; and 
 a barrier layer disposed directly on the reflective layer, wherein the barrier layer comprises one of a nickel chromium titanium aluminum alloy or a nickel chromium titanium aluminum oxide, wherein the one of the nickel chromium titanium aluminum alloy or the nickel chromium titanium aluminum oxide comprises between about 5% and about 10% by weight nickel, between about 25% and about 30% by weight chromium, between about 30% and about 35% by weight titanium, and between about 30% and about 35% by weight aluminum. 
 
     
     
       12. The low emissivity panel of  claim 11 , wherein the bi-metal oxide consists of bismuth tin oxide or niobium tin oxide. 
     
     
       13. The low emissivity panel of  claim 11 , wherein the barrier layer consists of the one of the nickel chromium titanium aluminum alloy or the nickel chromium titanium aluminum oxide. 
     
     
       14. The low emissivity panel of  claim 13 , further comprising a spacer layer disposed directly on the barrier layer, wherein the spacer layer consists of bismuth tin oxide or niobium tin oxide. 
     
     
       15. The low emissivity panel of  claim 14 , further comprising a second seed layer disposed directly on the spacer layer, wherein each of the seed layer and the second seed layer consist of one of zinc oxide, tin oxide, scandium oxide, or yttrium oxide. 
     
     
       16. The low emissivity panel of  claim 15 , further comprising a second reflective layer disposed directly on the second seed layer, wherein the second reflective layer comprises silver. 
     
     
       17. The low emissivity panel of  claim 16 , wherein the first dielectric layer has a thickness of at least about 20 nm. 
     
     
       18. The low emissivity panel of  claim 17 , further comprising a second barrier layer disposed directly on the second reflective layer, wherein the second barrier layer comprises the one of the nickel chromium titanium aluminum alloy or the nickel chromium titanium aluminum oxide. 
     
     
       19. The low emissivity panel of  claim 18 , wherein each of the barrier layer and the second barrier layer consists of the nickel chromium titanium aluminum oxide, and wherein the nickel chromium titanium aluminum oxide consists of between about 5% and about 10% by weight nickel, between about 25% and about 30% by weight chromium, between about 30% and about 35% by weight titanium, between about 30% and about 35% by weight aluminum, and between about 0% and about 5% by weight oxygen.